


Tears That Refuse to Spill

by Penguiduck



Series: The Fire Emblem Collection [5]
Category: Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken | Fire Emblem: Blazing Sword
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Love Confessions, One Shot, POV Second Person, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-14
Updated: 2019-11-14
Packaged: 2021-01-30 10:17:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21426595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Penguiduck/pseuds/Penguiduck
Summary: Eliwood means everything to you, absolutely everything. You would have given the world for him and he would have done the same for you. However, your love for one another will be tested when your engagement is ruined by his uncle's well-intentioned plans for him to marry a noble Princess of Ostia.[Reader X Eliwood] A one-shot.
Relationships: Eliwood (Fire Emblem)/Reader
Series: The Fire Emblem Collection [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1443868
Comments: 4
Kudos: 37





	Tears That Refuse to Spill

**Author's Note:**

> So I started The Fire Emblem Collection well over ten years ago, a series of quality reader-inserts for one of my favorite video games. I've posted on a couple of other archives, but I figured that since Fire Emblem is popular here on AO3, I might as well add what I have here. I will be posting as time permits. These one-shots are fulfilled requests made by friends and fellow readers. **I am not openly taking requests right now, but I may in the future.** I will only take requests through my monthly raffle, which I've linked to below.
> 
> Obviously, my writing has improved and changed over the years, so some of my older works might not be as polished. Apologies. I don't have any intention of going back and editing, but I suppose anything is possible.
> 
> I would like to draw your attention to something I'm trying out to thank those who have left or will leave future comments on my works: [An Expression of Thanks](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20227408/chapters/50634035). If you like raffles and enjoy having your fanfiction requests fulfilled, take a look. ;) I encourage you to check it out! This will occur monthly.
> 
> This one-shot was written all the way back in 2008.
> 
> Please enjoy. As always, comments and kudos are much appreciated! <3

Today was the day. It was the day of Lord Eliwood's crowning, the day that everyone had been waiting for. The turmoil across the land of Lycia was now over, and although Marquess Elbert, the former lord of Pherae would no longer return, his son would now take the throne. You knew that the noble house of Pherae would yet have another successful line of leaders as long as Eliwood was to be crowned.

Yet... you felt empty inside. With a sigh of sadness, you gazed outside of your guest bedroom window. The sky was blue, a beautiful shade of blue, the perfect, serene weather to match the occasion-- oh, what a fine day it would be! Eliwood was to be crowned... and married. Only, the problem was that he didn't know who he was to be married to. The marriage was arranged by his uncle, the man who Lord Elbert had entrusted to look after his son if he passed on. Unfortunately, Lord Elbert died and so Eliwood's uncle insisted that Eliwood marry a princess, someone of high stature and blood.

...and that person was not you.

You weren't enough for him.

The _world_ wasn't enough for him.

Nothing could make you believe that anything less than perfection was just right for him.

He was everything-- he had the dazzling physical features, the intense, blue eyes which you found absolutely enchanting, the soft, vibrant hair, silky to the touch and the charming smile that you had grown to understand and cherish. Eliwood was even more in personality-- he was gentle, a kind soul who could not bear to do harm to others. He was the sort to remove the burden from the shoulders of others at his own expense. He was selfless, intelligent, the epitome of good decisions. He was the Lord who everyone would love. He was Eliwood, the heir to the throne of Pherae.

Tears stung at your eyes, but they wouldn't fall. _Tears that refused to spill._ You should have been happy for him, glad that he would finally be crowned and be able to settle down with his bride, who would undoubtedly be beautiful and captivating. Eliwood's uncle would have selected someone of such status to be his future wife. She would have to be smart, quick-witted and outspoken in order to compare to Eliwood's acuity. Only someone perfect would be enough for him, enough for the one who you truly loved.

Perhaps what hurt most was that he loved you too.

He cared for you as you cared for him.

The night before was the cause of all this pain...

_"Eliwood?" you called, your whispers echoing in the empty halls. "Eliwood?" Everyone had gone to bed, for the moon hung high in the skies with the diamond-like stars. It was dark, but by the light of the celestials, you could manage to find your way through the dimly-lit halls outside. The pillars held up the grand roof tops, and through them you spotted the lovely moon. "Goodness, Eliwood," you muttered to yourself. You had been searching for the past half an hour, but all in vain. Leaning against one of the pillars, you sighed. "Where are you?"_

_"I'm here."_

_You glanced up to see that Eliwood had appeared. The luminating light reflected his handsome face. He was smiling, but you knew that something was not right-- something was very wrong. The young Lord of Pherae was never late to his appointments, particularly not late to those with you... unless, of course, something happened. You rushed toward him. "Eliwood, what's the matter?" you chanced to ask._

_His loving eyes rested upon you as he stood still. After a short moment, he finally came forward to wrap his arms around you in a warm embrace. "It's nothing to worry about right now... come with me, _____." He was himself again-- there were no formalities, no use for addressing you as a lady or a miss. Eliwood now knew you as _____, not as a noble lady of the court but as his companion. Perhaps you were simply worrying. Still... there seemed to be something wrong._

_He took your hand gently into his, leading you through the outside corridors. The air was moist, but not in an unpleasant way. In fact, you quite enjoyed it; it reminded you of a very special day, the day you first fell in love with a certain red-haired lord. He must have recognized the scent as well because he was placated for the time being. Eliwood remained silent as he continued to walk, always less than a step ahead of you so that you knew that he was your equal, not your leader._

_You cooperated, matching his perfect silence with yours. All that you could hear were the crickets, chirping their late-night sonatas for the both of you to hear. There was a small breeze in the air, though those disappeared as quickly as they came, causing the previous rustling of the leaves to cease. The silence had returned once again, but it was not what you would deem uncomfortable. You enjoyed the silence with Eliwood; as long as you were with him, you were happy, content, satisfied. There was nothing else in the world that you could ask for. _He was your everything.

_And you had been told by him many times that you were his. Eliwood would have done anything for you, his friends said. That was why he had returned home safely after defeating the evil that had engulfed the land in darkness-- he knew that he could not die before seeing you at least one last time. He had to return to your side safely and with the world in one piece so that he could secure your future... your future together. The thought was a beautiful one, for you wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of your life with him._

_It was not the power which he held as a lord which drew you toward him. Yes, he was of higher status than you were; his father was the one ruler of Pherae after all. At the same time, power did not interest you. In fact, as a lady of the court, you had little power to control things as was-- women were simply not allowed the same rights as men in some cases. Your life was a complicated one in a realm where the expectations of men and women were very different. Arranged marriages were commonplace, but there were the occasional few couples who wed out of their own will and love._

_Fortunately, this was your case-- several weeks ago, just a little while after he had returned home from his long journey, he presented you with a ring and the one question that had made you happy beyond belief, knowing that your life was about to change, most definitely for the better._

_You glanced at the ring which was situated on your free hand. It glimmered even in the moon's mysterious light. You knew that Eliwood had sought this jewel out with care and that he made sure that it was perfect before presenting it to you. The ring itself was the brightest of golds, polished so carefully that it reflected even the dimmest sources of light. Three jewels were fixed atop the ring, the largest of which was in the center. The other two were the same size, positioned on either side of the center piece, which were all strikingly bright diamonds._

_The thought of marrying him filled your heart with joy. Your engagement remained a secret, at least for the time being. Eliwood said that he wanted to announce the arrangement to all of Pherae at his crowning, and the wedding would take place a week or two afterwards. You were fine with this, of course, eager for all of your family, friends and citizens of Pherae to hear of the good news. And this would all take place tomorrow, tomorrow at the young lord's crowning._

_His pace was slow, much unlike his usually rushed pace when he had business to attend to through the castle. Now there didn't seem to be any rush for him to get to wherever he was taking you. The only odd thing about Eliwood was that he never did look at you while he held your hand. His touch was still gentle, his hand gripped softly around your own, but he said nothing, did nothing. _

_"Eliwood?" The name escaped your lips lightly, in a voice barely above a whisper. You were now slightly worried about him; something seemed to be wrong. In fact, you knew that he was not behaving the way that he should have been or usually did._

_The young lord stopped, though his hand did not leave yours; he then turned around so that he could see your full figure. He looked at you with his eyes, those deep, blue eyes which seemed to reflect his very emotions and what his heart longed to say. Immediately, you knew that something was terribly wrong. Eliwood must have known this because he gave you a single, sad smile. He gently tugged at your arm, leading you past the pillars holding up the ceiling and into the garden._

_You recognized this place. This was where you had met several years ago when your father had come to pay a visit to Lord Elbert. It was an absolutely beautiful garden-- roses of all sizes and colors grew in that area, and the air was thick with the soothing, sweet perfumes of the flowers. There were benches crafted and carved from stones, and along the wall was a small fountain, fueled by the magic of mages. _

_Eliwood indicated you to sit down along the edge of the fountain. You did as he asked, smoothing the folds of the dress out before seating yourself. He followed your example shortly afterward. "_____, I'm not sure how to even begin this..."_

_The tone of his voice troubled you even more. "You know you can tell me anything," you said, trying to comfort him into letting you know exactly what was going on. You deserved to know if the news was as bad as he made it out to be._

_There was a brief moment of quiet before he began reluctantly. "I spoke with my uncle today." He stopped here, making you wonder what had happened. His uncle was typically a man who was easy to get along with, but he was known to be somewhat of a person who needed organization in his life to an extreme degree. He had to have his life planned carefully and he had what many might call dominance issues as well. "It turns out..." Eliwood's voice trailed off._

_"It turns out what?" you asked._

_He sighed, looking into the pool of shallow water. "It turns out that he has made marriage arrangements for me."_

_Your heart nearly stopped. You knew that no one else knew about your engagement and that it wasn't uncommon for arranged marriages to be made in noble households for political reasons. The chance that Eliwood's uncle would do such a thing was not entirely surprising. Still-- obviously, neither you nor Eliwood had expected such an arrangement. You couldn't find the words to reply with so you merely looked at the young lord with a dazed expression on your face._

_He must have realized that you were unable to reply to such a statement so he merely spoke. "I'm to be wed to a princess by the name of Artemis at the crowning tomorrow." Your shocked expression prompted him to continue. "It was unexpected... I tried speaking with him, telling him about our promise, but..."_

_There was nothing else to be said. Eliwood fell silent, and you knew exactly why. You couldn't look at him anymore; it simply hurt too much. Instead, you diverted your eyes to the rippling water of the fountain, able to see the moon and stars reflected among the surface. What else was there to say, to do? What could you say to make him and you feel better? Absolutely nothing. Nothing could be done. Any promises you made, any comforting words you gave... they would all be empty, empty promises and empty words._

_But you still loved him. It wasn't his fault, and even if it was, there was no room in your heart but love for Eliwood._ He was your everything. _How could you not love him? It was an impossible feat._

_"_____..." he called softly, a thick sadness lacing his voice, though he remained calm with that famous stature of his. Eliwood reached out and gently tilted your head toward his until he found your eyes. "_____, I'm sorry..."_

_The words still wouldn't come. Your eyes welled up with tears when you looked at him. You shook your head ever-so-slightly, for whatever reason-- you weren't even sure whether it was because you didn't want him to be sorry or because you didn't accept the apology. The thought came too suddenly for you to comprehend doing it, but you simply reached out to embrace him. You buried your face in his shoulder, realizing that you weren't able to hold back the tears any longer._

_He returned the embrace, holding you in his arms as he did so often, but this time it was different. This time, he was upset as well, and he held you tightly. Your head was tucked beneath his chin-- you had discovered that that was one of the most perfect places to ever be, and you had always felt comfortable in his arms. Yet... this was the last time you would be able to rest there._

_You cried into his shoulder, sobbing silently in the night. No one but him would ever see these tears, and you didn't want anyone else to._

_As much grief as you felt, you realized that there was little you could do. If Eliwood's uncle had already refused to accept the marriage between you two, then that was that. Even the young lord could do nothing to change it; perhaps there was already a deal between Pherae and Ostia for their lord and lady to marry, thus creating a strong bond between the two territories. That was exactly how most political arrangements were made, and you wouldn't be surprised if this were the case._

_You weren't sure how much time had passed, but you had cried yourself to exhaustion. Eliwood must have felt the same way, though he remained strong and did not spill a single tear. Instead, he simply comforted you, stoking your hair as he so often did when you needed his support. When you had quieted and your breathing became calm, he whispered, "I love you. I still do; there's nothing in this world that can change that."_

_Indeed, you loved him too, but how were you supposed to respond? How could you give your heart to him if he was destined to spend the rest of his life with someone else? It wasn't his fault, you realized, though you didn't want to complicate matters. However, the words came and you couldn't stop them. "I love you too, Eliwood," you said softly, your voice rough from all of the crying. You managed to pull yourself away from him so that you could see him._

_He was handsome in the glowing light of the moon... yet, you knew that his fair face was mangled with emotions, emotions that only you had come to decipher. Eliwood looked tired, as though he simply wanted this situation to be resolved. He still had that kind look in his eyes though, the same one that could be found in his mother's. Through all the years that you had known him, he had never lost that sparkle; he eyes were always a gorgeous shade of blue, serene enough to rival the color of the purest oceans. You felt like you could fall into his eyes if you stared at them long enough-- and if that were to ever happen, you would find eternal happiness with the man you loved._

_"_____..." Eliwood took your hands into his. "I'm... sorry. I truly am. I didn't know that my uncle would have arranged a marriage for me... and I can't refuse the arrangement. The deal has been made with Ostia... to refuse is to deny Ostia as an ally or to concede Pherae's throne."_

_You didn't expect him to give up the throne. You never would have because you knew that Lord Elbert meant so much to Eliwood, and his father would have wanted him to inherit the throne and rule Pherae with all of his wisdom. He should have had to break the line of noble lords, not for you or for anyone else. Besides, his mother Eleanora would have wanted the same for her son; you refused to come between Eliwood and the throne._

_He continued, "Please forgive me, _____." His eyes shut for a brief second as he took a deep breath. "Pherae has belonged to my family for centuries..." He stared off into the distance and you automatically knew what he was thinking._

_"Eliwood," you began, squeezing his hand gently. "I'm not going to let you abdicate the throne. It belongs to you; your father would have wanted you to have it, and your mother would be absolutely heartbroken if you were to let someone else take the title of Marquess Pherae." It even hurt you to say these words because you knew that you selfishly wanted him to give it up so that he could be with you. All the same, you didn't expect him to and you wouldn't have been able to live with yourself if he did abdicate the throne for your relationship. "I... I can't let you give it up."_

_The red-head painfully sighed, "_____... I'm so conflicted." He gently pulled you toward him so that you could rest against his chest. "I want nothing more than to live my life simply-- as long as you are by my side, I will be content." There was a pause of complete silence. It seemed as though even the crickets didn't dare to chirp. Eliwood spoke again, but this time it wasn't for your ears. "Father... I need guidance." He looked to the celestial skies as though he would find an answer._

_Lord Elbert and Eliwood had a very close relationship. Eliwood loved his father dearly and admired him as a child. Now that he was gone, Eliwood was often at loss, though he continued to smile for the sake of his friends and remaining family. Nothing could replace Lord Elbert. Unfortunately, he was gone at a time when Eliwood very possibly needed his advice the most._

_You remained silent until you felt Eliwood rest his chin atop your head. He sighed again. "_____," he whispered against your hair, "You know that I would do anything for you..." Eliwood then tipped your head backward with his hand, leaning down to kiss you. Immediately, you melted in his arms, remembering the first time that you had kissed. It was in this very same place, beside the fountain._

_The kiss didn't last for long, though it brought you great happiness, knowing that Eliwood was still there. When your lips finally left his, you returned to leaning your head against him for support, if only briefly. "I guess this is it..." you said, pulling away from him. He didn't offer any resistance, even though you half-wished he would. It would have made the situation more difficult on you, but you didn't want to leave. You tried to search for a response in his face, though you could find none. There was one last thing that needed to be done-- without breaking your gaze from his, you removed the ring from your finger. _

_Each second caused a burning sensation in your heart. When you managed to remove the ring completely from your finger, you held it out to him. No words were exchanged. Eliwood merely stared at it with his beautiful eyes. You could only imagine what thoughts were running through his head right now, though you could barely handle your own emotions. He reached for it, but stopped; he didn't accept the jewel._

_You couldn't stand the situation any longer so you quickly dropped the ring into his half-outstretched hand, and turned on your heels, running through the open corridors of Pherae Castle. Before you were out of ear-shot, you heard the clank of the ring as it fell to the paved stones of the garden._

...and here you were. You hadn't been able to sleep last night, but you didn't cry either. There were simply no more tears. You had cried yourself dry in Eliwood's arms. With a saddened sigh, you stared out the window, hoping, dreaming, wishing that something would happen so that you could be together with him... yet, that dream had died last night with all of your hopes.

The clanging of church bells echoed in the distance, and you realized that the ceremony was about to begin. Regardless of what was to come, you had to see him. His crowning was still important to you. You glanced at yourself briefly in the mirror, noticing that you looked like a complete mess. There was no chance that you were going to appear at the crowning in such a condition. You quickly freshened up, put on your best dress and combed through your hair so that it was as silky as it was the day before. Then you climbed down the tower which led from your guest bedroom to the courtyard.

You were now in the realm of the Pherae public and were expected to keep your head high no matter the situation. Everyone from the country had gathered to see the crowning of their dear lord. You didn't have to push through the crowd of commoners because you were of noble blood and were coming from the castle itself. Still, there were many nobles not from Pherae who wanted to represent their territories.

The voice of Eliwood's uncle Elijiah rang out among the cathedral where the crowning was taking place. It took you a while to arrive and find a place among the many people of Pherae, but you knew that the speech would take a while to complete. After several minutes of pushing past other nobles, you had found a place at the front of the crowd where you could see everything.

Eliwood stood before his uncle and mother, dressed in his most elegant clothing-- royal blue robes with golden trims. His boots were polished to perfection, while his cape hung from his shoulders majestically. Eliwood's red hair was combed backwards neatly, but what lacked was that sparkle in his eyes. He was not happy today, you could tell, but it didn't seem like anyone else could. "Eliwood..." you muttered beneath your breath. It hurt to see him like this. This wasn't how today was supposed to be; today was supposed to be one of the happiest days of his life.

"...Pherae will see a great line of lords!" Elijiah announced proudly. "It was at this young age of eighteen that our beloved Lord Elbert, my very own brother, was crowned as the Marquess of Pherae two decades ago. Unfortunately, Lord Elbert has passed on, but not without his honor and valor, for he died with the purpose of protecting his people, his family, all of Lycia from the depraved darkness. And now we seek to crown his most beloved son, Lord Eliwood, who has retained his father's valiance and benevolence..."

You watched Eliwood. He didn't appear to be listening to his uncle's speech. Instead, he had focused upon staring into the distance as though he were searching for some sort of intangible item that would grant him the satisfaction he desired. And he deserved it. He was entirely too selfless for his own good; he was only doing this for the sake of his family, his people. Eliwood never thought about himself or his own desires. As his uncle began to speak about the marriage arrangement to forge stronger ties with Ostia, Eliwood seemed to regain his attention.

"And so to strengthen the bond between our two lands, the two lands which have been brothers for as long as time can recall, we shall seal this crowning with one of the most sacred ties of all-- marriage." This was when Eliwood glanced upward, obviously surprised to see you at the ceremony. His eyes connected with yours, and that one glance shared more emotion than words could ever convey. "It has thus been decided that Lord Eliwood shall marry one who represents the majesty of Ostia, the fairest--"

"--I won't."

The crowd was entirely shocked, but nothing could rival the astonishment of his uncle Elijiah. "My dear boy... whatever do you mean?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "We discussed this already, Eliwood," he added in a lower voice. He was nervous; something was wrong with his nephew.

Eliwood only spared his uncle a brief glimpse before stepping from the raised section of the cathedral to come toward you. When he did, he reached out for your hand, and you could only comply, for even you knew nothing of what he was doing. He led you back toward his uncle. "I'm sorry, Uncle Elijiah," he said. Eliwood looked at the crowd. "Please forgive me, nobles of the Lycian League, citizens of Pherae. Forgive me, nobles of Ostia. This is the lady I love; I cannot marry your princess. And if it be so, then I will abdicate the throne to someone who is willing to serve Pherae as I am unable to do."

There was a brief moment of silence, which was soon broken by a man who appeared. It was Marquess Ostia Hector who Eliwood had been childhood friends with. The crowd watched him ascend the platform of the cathedral. "Eliwood," he began. "Let it be assured that your marriage with Lady ______ will not affect Ostia's relationship with Pherae. We are allies; we have been allies; we will always be allies and good neighbors with one another. No marriage between two nobles can change that so accept your crown and be happy with your Lady _____." Hector gave his friend a reassuring smile.

Eliwood returned the grin, turning his gaze to his uncle. Elijiah was still in shock that his plan (although well intentioned) was ruined, but Eliwood's mother beamed with obvious approval. "Go on," she told him. "Kneel before me." You stood aside while Eliwood did as he was told. "This is Lord Elbert's sword," Lady Eleanora announced to the crowd, bearing it high so that all could see. "It is passed down from generation to generation of lords. I now present it to Lord Eliwood who shall henceforth carry the title of Marquess."

The crowd cheered-- the nobles, the commoners, his family and friends. Eliwood turned to you, gently pulling you next to him. He had one hand on your waist, and with his free hand, he reached into his robe. "You dropped this last night," he said with a smile. "Will you marry me, _____?"

You gasped in surprise as you were presented with the same beautiful ring which had brought you so many memories. "Yes," you replied. You could think of nothing else but to embrace him tightly, and let the tears of joy escape your eyes, the _tears that had refused to spill until now._

At last, there was a happy ending for you and for your dearest Eliwood. He earned his throne and the hand of his beloved. Two weeks later, you were blissfully married, and the both of you lived long lives, full of joy and love for one another.


End file.
